North Kettle Moraine

Dundee, Wisconsin 53150

Of all the 60-some miles of Ice Age Trail in the Kettle Moraine State Forest, this is the trail segment with the longest continuous stretch of woods.The woodland ambiance along this hike is a pleasure for the eye, but there is a practical angle here as well.This shady, up-and-down the moraine, 10.3-mile route is one of my favorites for a sunny summer day.
Begin by following the broad Ice Age Trail north from CR V as it follows the crest of the moraine. A broad marsh begins to the west, while the first of a series of small wetlands appears in a bowl to the east. About 0.5 mile north the trail skirts an open field for a quarter mile, reenters the woods, and ascends the moraine in a short, steep climb. On a fine spring day the kettle wetlands along this stretch will be noisy with the chorus of spring peepers, frogs rejoicing in the warm weather.

North Kettle Moraine

1Dundee, Wisconsin 53150

Of all the 60-some miles of Ice Age Trail in the Kettle Moraine State Forest, this is the trail segment with the longest continuous stretch of woods.The woodland ambiance along this hike is a pleasure for the eye, but there is a practical angle here as well.This shady, up-and-down the moraine, 10.3-mile route is one of my favorites for a sunny summer day.

Begin by following the broad Ice Age Trail north from CR V as it follows the crest of the moraine. A broad marsh begins to the west, while the first of a series of small wetlands appears in a bowl to the east. About 0.5 mile north the trail skirts an open field for a quarter mile, reenters the woods, and ascends the moraine in a short, steep climb. On a fine spring day the kettle wetlands along this stretch will be noisy with the chorus of spring peepers, frogs rejoicing in the warm weather.

North Kettle Moraine Professional Guide

Detailed Trail Description from our Guidebook

"Of all the 60-some miles of Ice Age Trail in the Kettle Moraine State Forest, this is the trail segment with the longest continuous stretch of woods.The woodland ambiance along this hike is a pleasure for the eye, but there is a practical angle here as well.This shady, up-and-down the moraine, 10.3-mile route is one of my favorites for a sunny summer day.

Begin by following the broad Ice Age Trail north from CR V as it follows the crest of the moraine. A broad marsh begins to the west, while the first of a series of small wetlands appears in a bowl to the east. About 0.5 mile north the trail skirts an open field for a quarter mile, reenters the woods, and ascends the moraine in a short, steep climb. On a fine spring day the kettle wetlands along this stretch will be noisy with the chorus of spring peepers, frogs rejoicing in the warm weather."

North Kettle Moraine Trip Reports

I'm a transplant from Western PA to the Chicago area, and while I have been impressed with the conservation efforts and results in the N. Illinois and S. Wisconsin areas, I've been sort of depressed by the flat landscape. The Ice Age Trail in N. Kettle Moraine, however, while not "mountainous" like you'd find in other parts of the country, is certainly a break from the monotony of the flatness elsewhere in this area. It is a fun trail with plenty of interesting and pretty nature and wildlife, which will never disappoint! Another great feature of the Ice Age Trail is the variation of landscape from one mile to the next: one moment you're running up a shaded hill and over a blanket of pine needles, and the next you're in a field of high weeds, only to be drawn again into the forest, and then through a grassy plain. That will happen several times in quick succession over this long stretch of trail. In brief: this is my favorite trail in N. Illinois/S. Wisconsin.